Jak and Daxter: Core of Mar
by Malon1031
Summary: One year has past since the Metal Head Leader’s demise but all is content in Jak’s world. Having been exiled to the Wasteland, he must find a way back home, and defeat the new evil which has arisen. Mostly told from Daxter's POV.
1. Chp 1: The Banished

Author's Notes: First off, I'd like to thank you, yes you, the reader for choosing to read this story. This is my first story on FF.net so be prepared for mistakes, but please bear with me. This is what happens when I'm bored and can't wait for the third installment of the Jak trilogy. Ah, the insanity! ahem Now for the 'legal' mumbo-jumbo. All characters belong to Naughty Dog Inc, not me. I'd love to think what it'd be like if they did...but that's off topic. Some characters added later on might be original, but not too many. The story concept, on the other hand, is my idea. It starts off similar to the beginning of Jak 3 but that's about it. Please don't sue, I have no money. Only my soul, but that is under consideration at the moment.....ahem I apologize for the weirdness. Back to the subject at hand! All comments are welcome and any tips/hints are appreciated greatly, as I said before, this is my first story. Most of it is in third person, but be warned that it does take Daxter's point of view most of the time. What can I say; I'm a fan of the guy. I would also like to thank Demyrie, Keysha-chan, and all the others at deviant art for reading and commenting on my other chapters. Much luv their way and I highly recommend their stories, which also happen to reside in this site! Yay! Sorry for my rambling on and on. I hope you enjoy this, and without further ado, on with the story!  
  
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Chapter One: The Banished  
  
One could call the wasteland beyond Haven city empty. That would be the understatement of the century. It is scorching, vast, deserted, and silent. Only two things can be found within its endless boundaries: sand and death. No one in their right mind would even consider venturing it, especially not on foot.  
  
Thus, this is where our story continues, as a small Krimzon Guard prison transport approaches, screaming through the humid air. It isn't long before it touches down on the sandy earth; in the middle of nowhere, with no view of civilization on the horizon. With a metallic hum, the back hatch opens as the stairs descend to make way for the desert's 'newest occupants'. Two Krimzon guards, clad in blue armor and each carrying Blaster guns, push the prisoners out of the shuttle and on to the dry earth. The guards stand there briefly, their eyes showing no sympathy, before they make their way back into the aircraft. The prisoners watch as the shuttle disappears from view, the heat from the sand obscuring their sight, their freedom sailing off along with it.  
  
"Well, that's just great," shouted one of the prisoners as he brushed sand off of his knees. "Eh, Jak! We save the city and _for what_?! Ta be shipped off ta this...barren wasteland! Remind me never ta do them any favors!"  
  
"Shut your trap, rat boy!" squawked another as he turned his attention to the last member of the group, "And I am personally blaming _you _on this one, Jak!" Pointing a feathered finger at the tallest of the three. "Right now I could have been eating my choice of mixed bird seed, but _noooo_. I had to come with you to make sure you didn't cause any trouble!"  
  
Jak stared down at his two 'cellmates', if you want to call them that. One was his best friend, Daxter. Standing bout two feet tall, covered in orange and yellow fur, and loud mouthed...yep, that was his friend alright. Daxter hadn't always been so..._fuzzy_ when they first met. He had been the same as Jak, until an accident at Misty Island and a pool of Dark Eco changed that. You could even go as so far as to say it was Jak's fault for Daxter's transformation, but they prefer not to mention it. It has been a couple of years since his change to an Ottsel, but he's gotten the hang of it.  
  
The other was a Monkaw, named Pecker...yes, yes, we know. He had a very vindictive mother. He happened to be an interpreter to one of their assistants, a blind prophet by the name of Onin. She provided valuable information to the Underground, an organization rebelling against the tyranny of their government. Seeing as how about a year ago their "late" ruler, Baron Praxis, was killed during a fight with the Metal head leader, the Underground has moved its focus to a crisis dealing with the imbalance of the planet's energy forces along with the rise of renegade metal heads looking for revenge. Their efforts had been slowed as of late due to the increasing civilian disturbance and the separation of the city's troops. Jak's recent development had hindered him from finding out the full account of the crisis, but he had a good guess. He was still unsure as to why Pecker had tag along with them, especially when he knew what the outcome would be: death.  
  
There was no other way to see it. They were banished for the rest of their days, which now seemed much too short, to wander the wasteland for crimes neither one had committed.  
  
"Well, Jak," Daxter asked, turning to look up at his friend, "Where to now?"  
  
"Uh, I guess the best thing to do is to just start walking." Jak replied, having no real plan on how they were going to get out of this mess.  
  
"Great," moaned Dax, "We're going ta be cooked alive! Dat is if we don't die of hunger first!"  
  
"Actually, we would be more likely to die of thirst before we would starve," Pecker stated, looking thoughtfully.  
  
".........._That's not makin anythin easier ya know_!" Dax yelled, arms raised.  
  
"Well, I'm merely stating fact!" Pecker retorted, ruffling his feathers.  
  
"I'll give ya fact, ya little—"  
  
"Look!" Jak interrupted, lifting his hand to motion for silence. He was in no mood for an argument, especially with this heat. "Let's just start walking. It's doing us no good just standing here." With that said, he turned to his right and then proceeded to walk off towards what looked like a large boulder in the distance.  
  
Daxter shot Pecker a look of contempt, then ran after his friend. Pecker stood in his spot for a moment, wondering why he had agreed to come. _'Onin, what have you gotten me into_?' he thought, cursing himself. Not wanting to be left behind, he took flight after them.  
  
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He could see the heat rising from the sand. He had chosen to walk, despite the protest of his feet. He felt too weak, his fur causing him to be warmer than normal. The shoulder plate Jak wore was too hot for him to grip, the metal having been overheated by the sun. _'I've already smelt burnt Ottsel once and don't wish ta repeat it_' he thought turning his attention towards their feathered companion.  
  
'_Lucky_' he grumbled, slightly wishing the dark eco had changed him into something with wings. Maybe a Flut-Flut would have been nice. _'But then again'_, he mused, '_I wouldn't be travel-size. And I don't think a giant, bug-eyed bird would go over well wit the ladies. I'm tryin to pick up chicks, not be one!_' These past few years have not been kind to him; being two feet tall and covered in thick fur did not work well with ego. He was tired of people seeing him as nothing but a 'pet'. He would give anything to be back to the way he was, buck teeth and all. '_Well_', he chuckled to himself, _'at least I don't have ta go through da awkward stages of puberty anymore, wit all dat acne and crap_.' As of late, he had been having trouble remembering what he looked like. Sure, he could still remember his hair and....okay, his teeth, _'but look at Jak'_, he thought. _'Look at how much he had changed, and that was only two years! Well...let's not forget all dat dark eco they pumped in ta him_.'  
  
True, da past couple years had been hard on Jak as well. Being taken from your home and tortured for two years, yeah, dat's a real picnic. But he got his revenge, didn't he. The Baron is dead, along with Erol, so things looked on the up and up, right? Wrong. His previous connections with Krew had labeled him 'untrustworthy'. And let's not forget all the hype from the Baron about the 'dark eco freak'. That caused a lot of mistrust between the people. So when Metal heads came and destroyed the palace in one fell swoop, who d'ya think got the blame? If you guessed Jak, you've won the grand prize! Johnny, tell em what they've won! All contestants have won an all exclusive paid trip to the barren wasteland; home to murderers, bandits, thieves, and lots of nasty critters, just waitin to make you feel at home. Don't bother packing, you probably won't even last the night! All kidding aside, Daxter returned his attention to the matter at hand and continued his trudge along Jak's side.  
  
With the unbearable heat breathing down his neck, his thoughts wandered to how it came to be that he was stuck out here, after the council had taken Jak in for 'questioning' and the so-called trial that followed. It was only a few days ago, that he was found in the Naughty Ottsel, waiting anxiously for Jak's fate.

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End chapter 1

Yay! Next chapter will be up soon and thanks again for reading. Hoped you enjoyed it!


	2. Chp 2: Unexpected Help

A/N: 2nd chapter is up! Yay! Just to re-cap, Jak and co. are in the desert. This chapter is kind of like a flashback, which coincidentally also has a flashback in it. Thanks for reading the first and continuing on to this chapter. I'm still trying to get used to the site and I might not be updating for a little while. The end of high school draws near and I'll need to focus on that. So, I hope you enjoy the second chapter! Many thanks to those who've helped me edit this story and giving me pointers. Much love to you all!  
  
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Chapter 2: Unexpected Help  
  
The streets were almost desolate due to the recent metal head attacks. Debris was found here and there but Daxter had no time to worry it. He had no time to stop and nurse the cuts he was getting from the broken glass strewn about or the mud that seemed to be the ground itself. He didn't know who else to turn to as he ran at full speed through the market district. The events prior to his excursion kept playing over and over in his mind. Ashelin nor the 'tattooed wonder' had been any help, and Samos just shook his head, saying it was 'out of his hands'.  
  
------- [Flashback] -------  
  
"So....how was the trial? Did he get off??"  
  
Daxter had been pacing frantically back and forth in the Naughty Ottsel for the past, umm I don't know, 2 hours 47 minutes and.....15 seconds, but whose counting? Jak's hearing before the council was a private case, thereby forbidding anyone not involved (namely Daxter) and to be escorted out of the court room and off the premises. Upon hearing the sounds of people, the frazzled Ottsel turned his attention towards the door. Ashelin, followed closely by Torn ('_whipped_!' thought Daxter), walked into the bar. Neither one of them seemed happy, which did not bode well, especially since Jak was no where to be seen. Daxter quickly took this opportunity to ask them questions before everyone else had the chance.  
  
Ashelin looked up to where the furry Ottsel was, almost bouncing with apprehension as he looked at them from the bar counter. She immediately felt guilty; there was nothing she could have done. The council was way out of her jurisdiction, despite the fact that her father had been the Baron.  
  
"I'm sorry, Daxter. There was nothing I could do. The council..."

"**WHAT**?!" shouted Dax. "What d'ya mean 'nothing you could do'? He saved the city! If it wasn't for him..."  
  
"There was nothing she could have done," growled Torn. "There wasn't a thing that any of us could've done."  
  
Daxter just stared. He couldn't believe his ears. 'Nothing they could do'. Bullshit. There had to be something, anything that could be done. He looked around the room to where Jak's friends were. Keira looked as though she would burst into tears. Sig cast his gaze to the floor, while Tess looked sympathetic. He then turned towards Samos. Surely ol' green had some trick up his sleeve. He had known before about when Jak would save the day, so who was to say he didn't know a way out of this one, too? The answer, however grim it was, was answered the moment Daxter looked into Samos' eyes. He was as lost in all of this as Dax was. All that Samos seemed capable of was to shake his head, avoiding Dax's pleading stare, as he said all that he could before the small creature ran out of the bar and into the streets.  
  
"I'm sorry, but...it's out of my hands..."

------- [End flashback] -------  
  
He continued running on all fours, seeing as how it was a much easier and faster way to travel. For a moment, he thought he was lost. He began to look around, squinting in the darkness for a light, any sign of life. As if he had asked, a light began to shine through the night. A light he recognized. A light which belonged to a certain person who could answer all of his questions.  
  
-----------------  
  
"What should I have tonight? The sunflower or the mixed? I can't decide."  
  
Pecker was currently rooting through the different baskets that lined the tent he and Onin lived in. He had not eaten yet and was looking for something that would satiate his hunger.  
  
"I had the suet yesterday. What do you think, Onin? Ah, what am I thinking, you probably know what I'm going to pick anyway, huh?" He then turned his attention to the woman in the middle of the room.  
  
Onin was an elderly mute, blind prophet. The only way she could 'talk' was through Pecker, her interpreter. She had the ability not only to see into the future, but the past as well. Knowing what he would choose, she made several hand motions to indicate what to pick.  
  
"Ah, good thinking! The peanut mix should be good!" He replied, turning his attention to the basket third to his left. He turned back to look at her, ready to ask what she wanted him to make for her, when she began to say something else.  
  
"What? Company? Oh, why couldn't you have told me before, then I would have eaten earlier!" he whined, haphazardly tossing the lid back onto the basket. "Well, who is it? Ashelin, Torn, Samos? Oh, I bet it's Samos, isn't it!" he snapped his feathered fingers, as if he had guessed right, ignoring the frown growing on Onin's face. "Oh, I get it," he said slyly, "you want me to leave you two _alone_, huh? Fine, but I'll be home by twelve, so no weird things better be going on when I get home." He crossed his wings over his chest with a smirk plastered on his face.  
  
Onin just shook her head. There was no use arguing now, since there was going to be some in just a little while.  
  
"Well," said Pecker, giving up his game, moving to stand in front of her, "who is it?"  
  
No sooner had he asked, Daxter came barging in; muddy, bloody, and out of breath. In his excitement for a possible answer to his prayers, he hadn't stopped running; causing him to get tangled in the door flap, lose his balance, and slam right into Pecker.  
  
Though she may have been blind, she could only imagine the tangle they were in judging from all the noise they were making.  
  
"**OW**! Get your foot out of my eye!"

"Oh yeah? Well, get ya tail off my leg!"

"_Ewww_, you're all muddy!!! I just bathed!!"

"Not from I'm standing, ya didn't!"

"**JUST GET OFF**!!"  
  
After a few minutes of de-tangling, the two were free; both slightly dirtier than before, but free none the less. Pecker, still brushing mud off his feathers, brought his attention to Daxter.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?!" He screeched, waving his wings, "Barging in like that? What do you think you're..." He paused, now having a better chance to look at him than before when they were preoccupied. Fur ruffled and completely muddy, stood Daxter, gasping for breath. He noticed that some of the mud was not mud at all, but rather a dark red, almost purplish, thick liquid. Not to mention the fact that Dax was all out of breath.  
  
"It's Jak!" Dax huffed out, almost doubled over, resting his hands on his knees. "The...ta council...they're gonna send him away!"  
  
"What about the Underground?" Pecker asked.  
  
"They're useless! They're doing nothin ta help! I thought if I came here..."he broke off, as he tilted his head to have a better view of Onin.  
  
Onin gently nodded her head. She knew what was to come and what she would have to do, but that made it no easier. She started to make gestures to Pecker, blue lights undulating from her finger tips. All Daxter could do was watch and wait for his answer.  
  
Pecker, watching as Onin finished, turned back to face Daxter. "She expresses her regret in saying that there is nothing that she can do." He whispered, templing his wing-tips together. "She says the best you can do is to stick by his side."  
  
Dax had almost given up hope. This was his last chance. No one else would help....what was he supposed to do now?  
  
It was then that Onin started to 'speak' again. Daxter didn't notice, he was too lost in thought to notice. Pecker on the other hand took full notice but did not like what she was saying at all.  
  
"**WHAT**?!!" Pecker was outraged. "You want me to _WHAT! Are you nuts_?! That's like asking me and fur boy here to become '_best buds'_!" he added sarcastically. It was only then that Dax broke out of his thoughts, having been brought back by the sounds of screeching.  
  
"What'd she say?" he asked, a puzzled look on his face.  
  
"Oh, ah,.... nothing," Pecker replied awkwardly, "nope, nothing at all...nothing out of the ordinary here, nope, no sir-y! Well, good luck with Jak! Stop again sometime, like...uh, _never_. Ta-ta!..." he said, as he put his wings behind his back and began rocking back and forth on his feet.  
  
Obviously, she had said _something_ worth hearing, as she then showered him with bluish dust with a clap of her hands. Knowing he couldn't win, he began relaying her message.  
  
Sighing with defeat, he put a hand to his face as he began to explain, already feeling a headache coming on. "Onin says that I should accompany you to make sure Jak's alright. She says '_you must guard him from danger_'. The usual '_voodoo_' stuff."  
  
"...........**What is she, NUTS**?!" Dax exclaimed!  
  
"_See_?!" Pecker said to Onin over his shoulder. Once more, the two of them were covered in dust.  
  
"Oh, alright, alright already, yeesh!" Pecker groaned, flapping off the dust. "What's a monkaw gotta do to get a moment of peace round here anyway! Come on, fur ball, let's go. Don't wait up, Onin!" With that being said, Pecker turned towards the door and proceeded out.  
  
Before heading out, Daxter turned back to Onin. "Thank you..." was all he said.  
  
He was just about to leave when he could have sworn she just beckoned him over. Perplexed, he moved closer. She held one finger up to tell him to wait as she moved her other hand near her head. From underneath the bowl she wore as a hat, she pulled out a small piece of parchment. She smiled to him and preceded to hand it to him. It was old; yellowish in color and frayed around the edges with some writing on it. Daxter had no clue as to why she was giving him this, but figured it was important. He folded it into squares sections and placed it between his head and leather cap. Something to think about later, when he wasn't stressed out about Jak.  
  
It wouldn't do him any good to ask her what it was, seeing as how the interpreter had just left. All he could do was smile and wave goodbye. Onin could feel his presence leave the room. She hoped Pecker would do as she commanded and protect the boy. All hope rested on his young shoulders; the darkness within him might very well be balanced later by the light, but that was to be seen. A prophet can only 'see' so far into the future, but at times, more frequently as of late, her viewings have been cloudy and uncertain. She knew it was almost time. Her only hope was that Pecker would understand later as to 'why'.  
  
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End Chapter 2  
  
Thanks again for reading! Hope I left you in suspense! (evil laugh)....ahem, sorry, couldn't help myself. Don't worry, all will be explain eventually. Thanks again!


	3. Chp 3: The Krimzon Redhead

A/N: I rise from the dead! hooray! I am alive again! Yay! (does little dance)....ahem, please forgive my absence. Writer's block is a terrible thing. I hope chu enjoy this chapter!  
  
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Chapter 3: The Krimzon Redhead  
  
Each step taken felt like three steps back. The sand was endless, giving our hero the feeling of being overwhelmed. Jak continued trudging towards the large rock that he had seen before, as the sun scorched and burned his face. The leather he wore felt twice as heavy under the heat, with all the metal clasps and shoulder plate. His clothes felt heavy too, owing to the fact that it was drenched in his sweat. His strength seemed to escape him as he was barely able to pick up his own feet, which he had been dragging through the sand.  
  
Trying to distract himself from his own misery, he turned his attention to his two companions, who were pulling up the rear. Pecker had recently decided to walk seeing as how flying robbed him of all the abundant energy he had started with. Daxter walked at Pecker's right, with his back slouched, taking in deep breathes as his exhaustion was evident. Daxter's panting had seemed to grow louder, but maybe it was his imagination, thought Jak, seeing as how there were no other noises to compare it to. Getting closer to the rock, which turned out to be more of the size of a large boulder, Jak's eyes were starting to blur. The heat from the ground was creating waves in the air, obscuring Jak's view. Trying to correct the imperfection, Jak almost missed his name being called, as his mind started to wander.  
  
"Hey, Jak?"  
  
_Couple more blinks should set my vision straight. But what if I can't open my eyes afterwards? The sun melds them together, what would happen then?  
_  
"Jak?"  
  
_What's that sound? Sounds close but nothing's here....were my ears always this big? You'd think for such large ears that I'd hear better, but...  
_  
**_"JAK!!"  
_**  
Snapping out of his daze, he turned to see Daxter and Pecker gazing up at him; Pecker out of annoyance and Daxter out of concern.  
  
"Ye-yes?" Jak replied, stuttering as he felt his tongue dry up almost immediately upon opening his mouth.  
  
"I was callin ya," Daxter began, eyeing Jak as though he could fall over any minute. "I was gonna ask you if ya had any plans on how ta get us outta tis mess....you do, don't cha?"  
  
"Well," Jak mumbled, trying to think of what to say that would put his friend's mind at ease. Truth be told, he had no clue what to do. The only thing he planned on was first getting to that boulder, then thinking up a plan. At least at the boulder there was the possibility of shade, which would be greatly appreciated by all. It was at times like these that he wished he was still a mute. Letting Daxter do all the talking was so much easier.  
  
"Well," Jak began again, hoping to sound more convincing. "I thought that the first thing we should do is to find shade. And that," he said, pointing half-heartedly at the boulder, "looks like a good place as any."  
  
"...oh...ok" Daxter said, looking at the rock as though it nothing special. But if it had shade that was good enough for him. The pads of his feet had hardened somewhat from the heat, but it was still very uncomfortable.  
  
With that being said, the three continued their march towards salvation from the sun.  
  
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Having reached their destination, the three sunk to the ground, exhausted, dazed, and thirsty. Jak sat with his back leaning against the uneven wall, closing his eyes as he thanked Mar for the small comfort of shade. Granted, it was still hot, but just the fact of being in the shade seemed to put his mind at ease. His breathing slowed to a gentle pace, marking his descent into slumber, as his head tilted to the side a bit.  
  
Using the moment of rest to his advantage, Pecker began to preen his feathers; taking them one by one in his mouth, cleaning them the best he could by ridding them of sand, then spitting out the dirt. Having cleaned only fours feathers, he realized the stupidity in his act. By cleaning his feathers, he only made his mouth drier. Plus it was inevitable to try and keep them clean, seeing as how the sand was everywhere, whether it be on the ground or airborne. Stopping his habit, cursing himself slightly, he closed his eyes. '_Perhaps taking a short siesta will liven my spirits_,' he yawned only having to cough a bit for inhaling the stale, hot air.  
  
Noticing that his friend and....._the rat with wings_ had taken it upon themselves to doze off, Daxter took the opportunity to glance around his surroundings. Desert as far as the eye could see with only a few bumps on the horizons. '_Probably rocks, rocks, and more rocks'_ Daxter thought as he slumped further against the side of the boulder. He couldn't help it as a yawn escaped his mouth. His eyes began to droop, slowly closing only to open seconds later. '_A nap couldn't hurt, could it_?' he thought as he scratched his side, '_Then we'll be on our way again_.' Another yawn answered his question for him as he began to submit to the call of sleep. The last thing he recalled before completely going under was the sight of a large cloud of dust on the horizon, which seemed to be growing bigger but was probably his sleep-induced imagination.  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
_......Hey....._  
  
Out of the darkness he swore he could hear a voice. It sounded distant but there none the less. All around him was dark and it beckoned him. Here, he felt safe and comfortable. He felt strangely at home and he had no feeling of leaving any time soon.  
  
_**....Hey!  
**_  
The voice grew louder and even sounded a bit impatient. He knew there was no escaping it so he might as well face it head on. Slowly, he cracked open his eyes a tad, the warm rush of light entering him. Immediately he closed one, unprepared for the brightness. The feel of sleep slowly faded and was being replaced by curiosity. The ground underneath him no longer felt that of the harsh, grittiness of sand. It felt soft and comfortable to the touch. Nor was it as hot as it had been before. Now the presence of a gentle breeze had arrived to take its place.  
  
As his eyes began to focus, he knew one thing already; he was no longer in the desert. The fact of being alive or not, or if this was a dream, he was unsure of at the moment. Gazing in the direction of where the voice had come from, his vision a bit blurred, he was met with the shape of a person. By the tone of the voice, it sounded to be female.  
  
"Ke-keira?" He choked out, his throat felt as through it would crack from lack of moisture.  
  
"Who?" The voice sounded confused, "Oh dear.....you must be hallucinating. It was a good thing I found you in time or the heat would've gotten to you first. Though....it might have, I'm not sure. Here, you're probably thirsty."  
  
At that, Jak felt an object press against his chapped lips. Having felt a drop liquid spill a bit on his face, he realized it was water being giving to him. After greedily taking all that was given to him, his vision began to align itself to form a sharper image.  
  
Above him holding an empty glass was a woman. The first thing he noticed about her was the stark contrast of her bright, red hair to the brown tone of the surroundings. Her hair went to her shoulders, along with her long bangs that stopped at her chin. She seemed young, probably around the age of 22 or so. Her eyes were brown but had a very kind look to them. Now looking more closely at her face, he was taken aback by what he saw: _Tattoos_. And not just any tattoos, ones that belonged to the Krimzon Guard. Alarmed at the thought, he tried to inch back, but realized he was too weak.  
  
"Don't try to move. You're probably still very weak from having no food or water. Here, lemme help you." She began to say, moving closer to him.  
  
"......Krimzon..." Was all he could voice out, feeling helpless and at the mercy of his former rescuer, now turned captor.  
  
She stopped her advancement to him and leaned back. Realization dawned on her faced as Jak watched her. '_Great_' he thought '_Not only do they banish me from the city, but they capture me right back to torture me. Probably some trick to fool Ashelin and the Underground into not looking for me while they do more tests. Just my luck_.'  
  
"You think........" she stared at him as though he were crazy. Quickly her face split into a smile, only to be followed by the amused sound of laughter. Jak had only time to quirk an eyebrow before she began to compose herself and explain.  
  
"You think...you think _I'm_ in the Krimzon Guard? Lemme guess. Right now, you think you've been captured and are now gonna be tortured to within an inch of your life, correct?"  
  
Jak nodded, which was followed by another short burst of laughter from the girl.  
  
"The heat must've done worst than I thought. Lemme give you an update since you decided to take that nap of yours. Which was _not_ such a good idea, might I add! Mar knows what could've _eatin_ you before I got there. Consider yourself very, _**very **_lucky. You, sir, are currently a _guest_ in the grand city of Spargus, which is under the rule of Damus, the King of Spargus. Speakin of which," she glanced outside of a nearby window. "He has asked for you to make your presence known before the court upon your awakening, preferably before sunset. That means we haven't much time, as the sun will set in about half an hour or so. Now come on," she said, now gently pulling his arm in attempts to sit him up straight. "A small meal and water'll do the trick, then off to see the King."  
  
Regaining his balance enough to sit up, he looked around to find himself in what looked like someone's house. Haven City's metal world, his former home, had now been replaced by these new, strange surroundings. The wall, floor, ceiling....everything was made out of different types of rock, mud, and the earth itself. Here and there, there was bone encased in the mix but not much else. Metal was still visible in some places, but was seemed to pale in comparison to the abundance of natural material.  
  
Turning his attention back to the girl, who was now fixing something to eat as it seemed, he noticed her attire. Devoid of any Krimzon Guard affiliation, she wore a simple cloth-like blue shirt, leather shorts, and leather boots. Though let it not be said without the proper armor, seeing as how it covered her forearms, shoulders, and boots. Noticing the condition it was in, he guessed she saw her share of combat. So aside from her tattoos, nothing seemed to fit in place with that of Haven city. '_She must be telling the truth_', Jak deduced. '_Was she banished as well_?' he thought.  
  
With that thought, he was quickly reminded of his own predicament. He still couldn't believe what had happened. He was never going to see Keira ever again. Ever hear her voice or see her face. Just thinking about her made him feel worse, as he sank back to the comfort of the pillows. Never to see Keira ever again, or Samos, Keira's father. Even he had to admit, he would miss the old sage. Surely Samos should've seen what was bound to happen. He had hinted at it about a year ago after Jak had defeated Kor. He remembered as if it were yesterday that they were all watching the celebration and festivities after the Metal Head leader's defeat and Samos hinted towards something about meeting Mar. Followed by the short brawl between Dax and...........  
  
"**DAX**!!" he yelled as he bolted upright from where he lay. The sound of metal indicated to him that he must've startled the girl, for she had dropped a pan and turned to look at him.  
  
How could he be so stupid! Here he was, lying in a comfortable bed, whining over his misfortune, when he had no clue where Daxter or Pecker where. Last he remembered, they had fallen asleep right beside him. What if the girl was right about some animal eating him and had instead eaten them? Jak would never forgive himself if anything had happened to his best friend. After all, it was his fault that Daxter was out here in the first place!  
  
He glanced quickly around the room and was about to rise when the girl called his attention.  
  
"Dax?..... Oh! You mean your pets!" she smiled, as he looked at her.  
  
'_Pets_?' he thought, confusion gracing his features.  
  
"Don't worry, they're still asleep. They're over in the corner." She added, pointing over in their direction.  
  
Sure enough, Jak saw them in the corner on a pillow-like bed, a devilish grin forming on his lips. Apparently the girl did not know that his 'pets', as she put it, were actually talking individuals who would probably take great offense to being labeled as _pets_. Nor had she known their great distaste for one another, seeing as how she had placed them together on the pillow rather than separating them. '_Which probably wasn't the best of ideas'_, Jak thought as he noticed that during their slumber they must've moved around a bit. His grin grew wider as he noticed Daxter's body was, for the most part, draped over Pecker's body. One of Pecker's wings had somehow wrapped itself around Daxter, kind of like a child with a teddy-bear. Plus their tails had intertwined, making it all the harder for Jak not to burst out in laughter. If he had, it would have ruined the moment of silence he was enjoying that would have surely been broken by their yells of disgust and arguments upon their awakening.  
  
Intrigued by the young man's smiling, the girl interrupted his thoughts. "Do you want me to wake them?" she asked, figuring he'd want to make sure they were alright.  
  
"Most definitely no." he chuckled. Seeing the confused look on her face, he tried to think up something that would make sense. "Um, they rarely get much rest and it wouldn't be right to wake them up. I'm sure they'll come to on their own."  
  
"Oh, ok." she said, turning back to preparing his meal.  
  
"By the way," Jak asked, "you never did give me your name? Mine's Jak."  
  
Stopping and turning to face him, she smiled, "Xantha, my name's Xantha. Nice to meet you, Jak. Your meal will be ready in a minute, and then we'll be off to see Damus."  
  
Jak smiled as a way to show appreciation to his rescuer, as she continued once again to prepare his meal. With the smell of cooked meat in the air, Jak had the feeling that for once in a long while, things might just turn out alright.

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Yay! End of chappie 3!!! yay! Finally! Thankies for reading and I hoped chu enjoyed it! Things to point out while I re-read this chapter: birds do preen their feathers w/their mouths/beaks, so naturally I thought 'so would Pecker'. yay for bird habits! Next chapter Jak meets the king, but all is not right in Denmark.......too much Shakespeare. sorry thanx again! 


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